Coating-machine.



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APPLICATION FILED OCT- l4. 1916- Patented Feb. 1919.

ISHEETSSHEE[ I.

COATING MACHINE.

APPLlCATlON FILED OCT-14.1916.

1,295,820. Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

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COATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 14. ms.

Patented Feb.25,1919.

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anuemfot WILLIHM EWHTKINs W. E. WATKINS.

COATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man OCT- 14. 1916.

1,295,820. Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

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COATING M ACHINE. 'APPLICATION FILED OCT-14.1915.

Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

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: 1 l K? anuew 0 6 WILLIAM E.WHTKIN5 W. E. WATKINS.

COATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 14. 1916.

Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

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Qvwenfoz WILLIHM E.WRTKINS M FM 4 M W. E. WATKINS.

COATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION manner. 14. ms.

Pateflted Feb. 25,1919.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 1- anvemtoz WI LLlHM E WRTKlNS 7W pamuam m5 (was SWN .@WW hmw NmN EN I 3513 1 1b, Gimme UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. WATKINS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE METALS PLATINGCOMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

COATING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

Original application filed June 29, 1916, Serial No. 106,584. Dividedand this application tiled October 14, 1916. Serial No. 125,586.

To all wk on: it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. \VATKINs, a citizen of the United States,and residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Coating-Machines, (division ofSerial No. 106,564, filed June 29, 1916); and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it. appertains tomake and use the same.

The invention comprises a machinewhere- 'by sheets of elastic metal,such as lron or steel, may be coated on one or preferably on both sideswith a liquid or semi-liquid, and more particularly a viscous mixture orcomposition. This coating may be of such a character that on subsequentheat treatment under proper conditions, it will yield a permanentnon-stripping, firmly adherent metal plating on the underlying'metal.

The invention may advantageously be used with mechanism for bending orcurving the sheets of elastic metal before heat treatment so that eachassumes an arched shape, and for advancing or transferring the archedsheets toward the furnace, and for delivering them, properly timed, tothe conveyer by which they are to be transported to the furnace for heattreatment.

The preferred installation may comprise apparatus for reliablytransporting the arched sheets to and through the heating furnace whilein arched form, and for finally delivering them for such furthertreatment as they may require.

The coating machine, the bending, transfer-ring and delivery mechanism,and the transporting apparatus may all be driven by a common source ofpower, and as the result of their joint and cooperative action, flatsheets of metal, more particularly elastic metal (such as iron orsteel), may be covered with a uniform layer of viscous coating, out ofwhich, by subsequent and proper heat treatment, there may be formed onthe underlying metal, a firmly adherent and nonstripping plating, as ofcopper.

, The details of one embodiment of the present invention will be madeclear by the following detailed description, which illustrates theutility of the invention with particular reference to the plating ofsheet iron,

or steel with copper, but I am aware that certain, parts of theapparatus are of utility when the articles to 'be treated are not in theform of sheets, and are not elastic, and are not ferrous metal, and areto be plated with material other than copper, and it will therefore beunderstood that in illustrating and describing the preferred embodimentof the invention, I do not limit myself thereto, but contemplate theemployment of such other like devices in the several combinations andsub combinations set forth, as fairly fall within the scope of theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specificationFigure 1 is a side elevation of the machine as viewed from the left; v

. Fig. 2 is a detail of the feeding mechanism as viewed from the right;

Figs. 3 and 4 are details of the adjusting means for the coating rolls;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation on a somewhat larger scale, showing themachine as viewed from the right;

Figs. 6 and 7, placed end to end, constitute a plan View partly insection on the line 67 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation on the line 88 of Figs. 6 and 7;

Fig. 9 is a plan of the pump mechanism which has been omitted from Fig.-6 for clearness in illustration Fig. 10 is a transverse section 1010 ofFig. 6;

Fig. 11 is a transverse section through the machine on the 'broken line1111 of Fig. 5:

Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12-12 of on the line Fig. 6, showingthe drive for the converging conveyors;

Fig. 13 is a section on the line 13-13 of Fig. 6, illustrating thearched face of the sheet as it leaves the transfer mechanism of thecoating machine; 1 Fig. 14 is a section on the line 14-1 of Fig. 15 isan enlarged view showing the chain guides for the pusher near the top ofFig. 8;

Fig. 16 is a plan view of the pusher;

Fig. 17 is an enlarged detail of a part of the converging elements usedfor bending the sheets Figs. 18 and 19 illustrate one of the slottedpipes whereby the coating composition is supplied to its distributingroll for delivery to a coating roll; and

Figs. 20, 21, 22 and 23 are details of the furnace conveyer. v

The first step in the method for which my present invention isparticularly intended consists in applying to the articles to be plated(such as iron or steel), a coating out of which by suitable heattreatment, the permanently adhering or non-stripping plating (such ascopper) can be formed.

The material for use as this initial coating may vary. It should besticky or viscous enough to adhere well to the sheets and should havebody enough to form a smooth, even layer of uniform thickness. It shouldnot drip or run, and of course must be so chemically constituted as toyield a plating metal when subsequently treated, as by heating. I mayuse a reducible compound of the plating metal held in suspension in asuitable vehicle, such as a viscous reducing agent, this suspensionconstituting a paste or semi-liquid mixture adapted to be spread in aneven, dense, compact layer upon the metal to be plated. Thus, I may useoxid of copper (Cu()) ground to great fineness in a heavy oil, such as amixture of equal parts of Mexican crude oil and a native fuel oil.Mexican crude oil is particularly appropriate because it has anasphaltic base and yields a residue of carbon on destructivedistillation. In the subsequent furnace treatment, this carbon serves asa reducing agent for the metal compound present in the mixture. ButMexican crude oil alone is frequentlytoo viscous, and an admixture ofnativefuel oil is desirable to lower the viscosity, even though it mayall, or nearly all, vaporize-off during the heat treatment, and withoutgreatly contributing to the carbon residue. In compounding such acoating mixture the reducible compound of. the plating metal, such asoxid'of copper, must be present in such quantity that on subsequentreduction it will yield a copper plating of requisite thickness.

I have found in practice that there is a limitation upon the amount ofplating metal that can readily be applied by this method in a singlefurnace treatment. This limitation is in part due to the requiredviscosity of the applied coating and in part to the fact that a certainproportion of the metal compound escapes reduction because ofinsufficlent reducing power of the reducing vehicles. As a consequence,not only is the quantity of plating metal correspondingly diminished,but a portion of the reducible compound escapes reduction and must beremoved from the plating surface upon which it tends to collect.

Therefore, to enhance the efliciency of the process I prefer to add as aconstituent of the paste or suspension of the reducible compound and itsliquid vehicle, an appropriate quantity of a finely divided solidreducing agent, such as finely divided carbon. The resultant mixturewill still have the requisite viscosity and will also have its reducingpower so increased that the metal of the reducible compound may bedeposited in its substantial entirety as plating metal upon the metal tobe plated.

A suitable composition for the initial coating may be made by grindingtogether one part by weight of copper oxid, one part by weight ofMexican crude oil (having a specific gravity represented by 7:}- poundsto the gallon) andth to gth part by weight of finely divided carbon, forinstance, lamp black. Such a mass will have a viscosity sufiicient topermit it to be applied by coatin rolls of the type shown in Fig. 1, andw ien so applied will form a dense, adhesive, uniform layer uponboth ofthe iron or steel sheet.

It is possible to enrich such a coating mixture by grinding into it sayone part by weight of finely divided metallic copper. The viscosity willstill be'satisfactory, and this additional copper will supplement thatresulting from reduction of the copper oxid and so yield a plating ofcorrespondingly increased thickness.

Instead of Mexican crude oil, I may use a lighter hydrocarbon, such askerosene, or I may even employ water as the spreading vehicle, but,in'these instances, I increase the amount of finely divided carbonemployed so that there may be enough carbon present to effect completereduction of the oxid and to afford adequate protection to the melted,

ornearly melted, copper.

Also, I have discovered that it is possible to dispense entirely withthe reducible compound and that the copper or other plating metal maybeapplied to the iron or steel sheet as finelydivided metal, preferablycoating, consists in bending each coatedsheet after it emerges from thecoating rolls, so that it assumes the form of an arch, and this I amable to do by the apparatus of Fig. 1, without disturbing the continuityof the initial coating, by the effective expedient of giving the sheetan upward bend or hump in the middle, particularly at its front edges,and then pressing inward on its edges until the sheet bows up andassumes the desired arched form. The whole operation is automatic in theapparatus of Fig. 1, and the sheet is then ready for forwarding to thefurnace for the necessary heat treatment.

The next step is the heat treatment within the furnace, whereby theinitial coating yields a non-strippin or firmly adherent plating on theunder ying iron or steel or the like. The furnace wherein this treat--ment is carried out need not be described here in detail, but in it thesheets as they pass through on an endless conveyer and in arched formare heated in a reducing environment to a temperature and for a timesuflicient to produce such reduction or melting, or both, as may benecessary to form the plating from the materials of the initial coating.The arched sheets thus treated are finally delivered from the conveyerfor such flattening and further treatment as they may require.

The coating machine comprises a frame 100, and is provided at the frontwith an apron or feed table 101 on which the sheets to be coated aredropped by hand and from which they are automatically fed into thecoating rolls.

The automatic sheet feeding mechanism comprises three stops 102 (Figs. 6and 10), in the form of rollers which project above the feed table, andmay rotate about their respective axes while contacting with the edge ofa sheet during its forward movement. As a means for holding the sheetagainst these rollers 102 and bringing it into true alinement forpassage through the machine, there is provided a roller 103 mounted onan arm 104, which is pivoted be neath the feed table on pivot 105, andis actuated by a link 106 adjustably pivoted to arm 104 and also pivotedto a swinging arm 107, the rear end of which is pivoted to theunder-face of the feed table at 108, and the front end of which carriesa roller 109 actuated by a cam 110. the movements of which arehereinafter described. A rigid and stationary reinforcing strip 111gives firm anchorage for pivots 105 and 108, and a spring 112 isconnected between this strip 111 and swinging arm 104 to yieldingly urgeroller 103 toward rollers 102, so that. on suitable movement of cam 110,the roller 103 can swing inward against the edge of a sheet that hasbeen dropped on the table and slide that sheet over against rollers 102and thereby bring it into proper position and alinement with respect tothe coating rolls.

The coating rolls 113 and 114 (Fig. 8) are faced with a layer 115 ofsuitable yielding composition like soft rubber. The shafts 116 and 117for these rolls are carried in bearing blocks 118 and 119, respectively,4

are seated at the bottom of appropriate guideways in frame 100, and theupper pair 118 of which are adjustable up or down in that guideway tovary the distance between the coating rolls 113 and 114.

The adjusting mechanism for the coating rolls comprises a pair ofsprings 120 (Fig. 11), located respectively within the guideways offrame 100, and positioned between the adjacent bearing blocks 118 and119 of the upper and lower roll shafts. These springs tend to hold thecoating rolls separated. Above each upper bearing block 118 andcontacting therewith is a stop bar 121 (Fig. 1), which passes freelythrough a cover-plate 122 (Fig. 3), except that it has a longitudinalslot 123 (Fi 4) in which fits a key 124 (Fig. 3) rigi ly mounted incover-plate 122. The upper end of rod 121 is threaded and passes freelythrough an enlarged opening in a worm gear 125 and has threadedengagement with a nut 126 which is adjustably and detachably connectedwith worm gear 125 by bolt 127 and slot 128 (Fig. 4). integral withcover-plate 122, forms a guide and support for the upper end of rod 121.Engaging with worm wheel 125 is a worm 130 fastened to a shaft 131 whichcarries an adjusting hand wheel132 (Fig. 1) on the left hand side of themachine. This shaft 131 extends across to the other side of the machine(Fig. 11), for actuating another and similar worm wheel and stop bar tohold the other upper bearing block against the tension of its spring120. The upper coat- A bracket 129 (Fig. 3),

I (Figs. 1 and 11), the lower pair of which ing roll can thus beadjusted toward or from the lower roll and each end can be independentlyadjusted to maintain proper spacing of the rolls throughout their entirelength.

The liquid composition to be supplied to the coating rolls is pumpedthrough a transverse pipe. 133 and delivered through narrow longitudinalslots and in a substantially continuous cascade or sheet to adistributing roll 134 which is accurately spaced a short distance fromthe uppermost coating roll 113 (Fig. 8), and is spaced slightly from anequalizing roll 135. Distributing roll 134 is carried and driven by ashaft 136. and equalizing roll 135 is carried and driven by a shaft 137,and the ends of these shafts 136 and 137, are fitted to bearing blocks138 and 139, respectively, (Fig. 1).. These blocks are mounted inhorizontal guideways as shown. A pair of springs 140 urge thedistributing roll 134 away from the coating roll 113, and a similar pairof springs 141 urge the equalizing roll 135 away from the distributingroll 134. Opposed to each spring 140 and 141 is a stop bar complete withnut, gears and other features, of the type shown in Figs. 3 and 4, andcomplete with hand wheels 142 and 143. The ends of each roll can therebybe adjusted simultaneously orone end can be shifted independently of theother. One of these stop bars controls the distance between the distributing roll 134 and the coating .roll 113,v

and the other controls the distance between the distributing roll andthe equalizing roll 135, and jointly they control the thickness of thefilm of fluid which is carried forward by the distributing roll anddeposited on the upwardly moving face of the upper coating roll 113.

In practical operation, the coating fluid may work out to the edge ofdistributing roll 134 and to the edge of equalizing roll 135 and thereharden to form a fin, and to prevent this troublesome accumulation,there is provided at each end of these rolls a scraper 144 in the formof a shallow, concave box, the curved bottom of which contacts With theends of the rolls and approximately intersects their line of contact onewith another, as shown in Fig. 8, and so act somewhat as a receptacle in\vhichthese incrustations may be'accumulated and from which they may beremoved from time to time.

' This scraper 144 is rigidly attached to an arm 145 fastened with a setscrew 146 to th fluid distributing pipe 133.

The lower coating roll 114 is similarly equipped with a distributingroll 147 and an,

equalizing roll 148, these bein adjustable, respectively, by means ofhan' wheels 149 and 150 (Fig. 1) acting through worm gears, stop bars,and other elements, as in the case of the upper equalizing anddistributing rolls. The scraper 151 for the lower distributing roll 147is of essentially the same shape as scraper 144 but is arranged to cleanthe end of the lower coating roll 114 as well as its distributing roll147, the concave bottoai of the scraper 151 substantially intersectingthe line of contact of these two rolls. This scraper 151 is supportedfrom the lower fluid supply pipe 152 and can be swung thereon'foremptying when desired.

The coating liquid or composition is normally held in a tank 153. As theliquid may carry suspended solids, liable to settle out, there isprovided an agitator for constantly stirring the contents of this tank.The agitator comprises a central shaft 154 (Fig. 1) which carries a pairof propeller blades 155 suspended just above the bottom of the tank andadapted particularly to prevent the accumulation of solids onthe-bottom.

Agitator shaft 154 is supported in a bearing 156 (Fig. 9) carried by theskeleton cover 157 of the tank and removable from the tank with thatcover for cleaning or inspection. Agitator shaft 154 carries at its.upper end a bevel gear 158 which meshes with a bevel gear 159 carriedon a horizontal shaft 160, which is driven through a spur gear 161. Thelater is driven in a manner hereinafter described. At the other end ofshaft 160, and splined thereon, is a spur gear 162 (Fig. 9) and thismeshes with a gear 163 to drive the shaft 164 of a gear pump 165 ofusual construction. Shaft 164 is squared at its exposed end to receive ahand crank, and by sliding spur gear 162 outward out of mesh with gear163, this hand crank can be used for rotating the pump to prime forwardend, has a branch running'through I valve 168 to the liquid distributingpipe 152, and also a branch extendin upward through valve 169 to theupper istributing pipe 133. At a point approximately above tank 153 theliquid distributing pipe 167 has a by-pass through valve 170 and a pipe171 leading back to tank 153. For purposes of priming it is thereforepossible to open valve 170 and close valves 168 and 169, and then byhand or otherwise, pump the liquid out of tank 153 and through valve 170back into the tank again, thereby mixing and agitating the liquid andmaking sure that the pump is in proper operative condition. A

union 172 in pipe 167 facilitates removal of tank 153 and its detachablecover, pump, gearing and the like.

To take care of the surplus liquid, there is provided beneath equalizingroller 137 a removable trough 173 (Fig. 8) which slopes (Fig. 11) to adrain pipe 174 (Fig. 8) discharging into tank 153, and, similarly, thelower equalizing roll 148 has a removable, sloping trough 175 with adrain pipe 176. These two dra-in'pipes, as well as pipe 171, are shortenough not to interfere with removal of tank 153. An inclined drainplate 177 is detachably supported under the lower coating-roll 114 tocatch the drippings and deliver them into trough 17 5.

Referring to Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 11 the driving mechanism for the coatingmachine and its supply pump is disclosed. Power is delivered through amain driving chain 178 (Fig. 5) to rotate a sprocket,179 loosely mountedon a shaft 180. The outer face of the hub of sprocket 179 is shaped toform a clutch member and an opposing clutch member 181 is splined onshaft 180 and provided with a vertical shipper lever 182, pivoted at 183to a bracket 184, secured to the frame 100. For the purpose of actuatingthe clutch from the other side'of the machine,

there is provided a connecting link 185 pivotally attached to shipperlever 182 and to a corresponding lever 186 on the other side of themachine. The spline for clutch member 181 abuts against the hub ofsprocket 17 9 and hOlds it against axial movement, and the right handend of shaft 180 is supported in an out-board bearing 187 in the form ofa bracket bolted to frame 100 (Figs. 5 and 6). The shipper lever 182 isof yoke shape (Fig. 5) to straddle shaft180, and is attached throughhorizontal lugs to a split collar 188 (Fig. 11) seated in a groove ofclutch member 181. The left hand end of shaft 180 carries a hand wheelso that the machine can be turned over slowly by hand,

as when adjusting the timing of its several arts.

p Keyed to shaft 180 is a gear 189 (Fig. 11) which meshes with a gear190 on shaft 117 of the lower coating roll. Gear 190 meshes with a gear191 (Fig. 5 s pfirted on a stub carried by a bracke secured to the right'hand side of the machine. Gear 191 meshes with a wide gear 192,similarly supported and the latter meshes somewhat loosely with a gear193 on shaft 116 of the upper coating roll. Gear 193 meshes somewhatloosely with a gear 194. on shaft 136 of the upper distributing roll anddrives that roll at a proper peripheral speed to elfectively apply thecoating liquid to the yielding face of the upper roll. Gear 194 mesheswith a gear 195 on shaft 137 of the upper equalizing roll to rotate itat the same peripheral speed as the adjacent distributing roll.

rolls are similarly provided with driving gears 196 and 197,respectively, and are driven from gear 190.

When the machine is in action, the power delivered through main drivingchain 178 and its sprocket 179 and the coiiperating clutch, drives thecoating rolls 113 and 114 as indicated by arrows (Fig. 8) and a sheet ofmetal A, moved forward on the feed table 101, will be gripped at itsforward edge by the yielding composition faces of these rolls, anddrawn. forward, simultaneously with the deposition on its top and bottomfaces of a thin uniform and homogeneous film of the coating liquid. Oneside may be left uncoat-ed if desired.

The mechanism whereby the sheet of metal to be coated is automaticallyfed forward into position to be gripped by the coating rolls, comprisesa finger 198 (Figs. 2 and 6) which projects through a slot in feed table101, and is carried by a block 199 mounted to slide in guides 200 (Fig.10), secured to the under face of feed table 101. As a means for slidingblock 199 toward and from the coating rolls, and for timing itsmovements, there is provided a link 201 The lower distributing andequalizing (Fig. 2) pivoted to the block and adjustably pivoted to aswinging arm 202, which is mounted near the center of a transverse rockshaft 203 supported by bearings on the front legs of frame 100. Theright hand end of shaft 203 carries a crank 204, to the slotted end ofwhich is adjustably connected a cam actuated thrust bar 205, whichcarries a roller 206 bearing against the periphery ofa yoke 210 whichembraces and slides upon the hub of cam 207 and swings thereon as itmoves outward under the action of the cam. To effect inward movement ofthe thrust bar 205 and forward movement of the feeding finger 198, shaft203 is provided with a downwardly extending crank 211, to the end ofwhich is pivoted a rod 212 (Fig. 5), the rear end of wlrich passesfreely through a block 213 which is mounted on the main frame and isfree to swing as much as is necessary to accommodate backward andforward movements of rod 212. A compression spring 214 encircles rod 212and bears at its rear end on block 213, and at its forward end against atension adjusting nut 215. Outward movement of thrust bar 205 producedby action of cam 207 on roller 206 compresses spring 2141 and as soon ascam 207 will permit, spring 214, by its expansion, yieldingly pulls feedfinger 198 forward toward the coating rollers and thereby advances thesheet to be coated until its front edge enters between the coatingrolls. The sheet-alining mechanism for the feed table, heretoforedescribed, is suitably timed with respect to the forward movement offinger 198 by proper location of cam 110 with respect to sliding block199 to which it is rigidly fastened.

To drive pump 165 and its associated agitator, there is provided asprocket 216 (Fig. 11) on shaft 117, the sprocket being bolted to gear190. A-chain 217 driven by this sprocket passes over a smaller sprocket218 (Fig. 6) secured to a shaft 219 (Fig. 12), which extendssubstantially across the machine and also serves to drive the convergingconveyers as hereinafter explained.

Keyed to shaft 219 is a spur gear 220 (Figs. 12 and 6) which meshes withgear 161 (Fig. 9) of the pump-driving mechanism.

In this way, power is delivered to the pump.

of frame 221 are attached a pair of sup-' ports 222 and 223, which areanchored and supported at their forward ends by bolted connection withmain frame 100i A single bolt 224 for each support is used, therebyserving as a hinge to compensate for slight differences in the height oralinement of the two frames. The rear end of each of these supports issimilarly secured by a single bolt 225.

The means for bending each sheet into an arch, includes a plurality ofrotating shafts 226, of which there may be flue, as shown, having theirbearings in supports 222 and 223. Each of these shafts carries asprocket 227 and all of the sprockets are positively driven through asingle chain 228 which passes oi er an idler 229 and is driven by asprocket 230 (Fig. 12) mounted on shaft 219 and driven thereby. Shafts226 are provided with star wheels or the like, preferably in the form ofthin disks having sharp edges with teeth, to limit the area of theircontact with the coated sheet as it is advanced over them. The starWheels 231 for the first two shafts of the series are fastened to thoseshafts and so are positively driven, and similarly, the four outsidestar wheels 232 of the next two shafts are positively driven. The twooutermost star wheels 233 of the last shaft are free to rotate on theirshaft, but are held against axial displacement by a pair of collars oneof which can be adjusted axially along the shaft. All of the star wheelsso far described are preferably of the same diameter, but the threecentral star Wheels 234, 235 and 236 on the three rear shafts are ofprogressively increasing diameters, as shown in Fig. 8, and are loose ontheir respective shafts. They are held against axial shifting by thecollars between which they are free to rotate, and they are staggered asshown in Fig. 6.

lVhen a coated sheet comes from the coating rolls, it is carried alongby the star wheels, and their points of contact with it are so small inarea as'not to wipe off or deface the adhering coating to anyappreciable extent. As the sheet moves along, its center rides up on theenlarged central wheels 234, 235 and 236, which are driven by thefriction of the sheet thereon and thus is given a humpin the centerpreparatory to engagement with the converging elements which transformthe sheet into a complete and symmetrical arch.

Above frame 221 and supported thereby are a pair of converging elementsin the form of belts or the like 237 and 238, preferably of leather andeach passing over pulleys 239 and 240. These pulleys are so spaced, asshown in Figs. 6 and 7, that the belts converge and collectively form aconveyer by whichthe sheets are received from the star wheels and areheld by their edges only. The edges are then progressively squeezedinward as the sheets are advanced between the converging belts therebyconverting the sheets into the desired arched form for delivery to thefurnace conveyor.

In considering the details of the converging conveyer, reference maybehad to Figs. 17, 6, 7, 8, 12 and 13.

Each of the leather belts 237 and 238 has a facing of separated metalplates or scales 241 (Flg. 17), and each of these scales has twointegral legs, one of which is riveted to the belt and the other ofwhich is L- shaped as shown to form a shelf 242 in the. I

acute angle of which the ed 'e of a sheet of metal under treatment may ereceived and under the overhanging but somewhat yielding side of which.that edge is held against danger of accidental dislodgement.

' hating in a bearing 247, whereby shaft 219 is supported and theadjacent beveled gear 245 for the: bolt pulleys 239 are supported by across-bar 248 (Fig. 13). Each bearing member 245 has a slotted lug 249equipped with a clamping stud 250 threaded into cross-bar 248. It istherefore possible to shift either of the pulleys 239 to the right or tothe left, so as to increase or decrease the distance between them, or tocorrect for misalinement in the machine.

As a means for guiding the working sides of the conveyer belt-s 237 and238, and to prevent them fromsagging or from bulging outward under thespreading action of the arching sheets, two angle bar guides 251 and 252(Fig. 7) are provided'on the horizontal flange ofeach of which the loweredge of its leather belt may slide in a shallow'groove. The scales 241of the belts also contact with and slide along thesehorizontal flanges(Fig. 13). Guides 251 and 252 are bolted respectively to ears 253 and254 (Fig. 13) integral with lugs 249 of the pulley bearing members 24 5.Guides 251 and 252 have slots 255 and 256 Fig. 6) to permit longitudinalshifting, when required, (their other ends being similarly slotted. Fig.7) and can be swung angle about the bolts 257 and 258 which pass througha small 244 is held to working engagement with its I companion gear 243.The bearing members through these slots and anchor the guides to cars253 and 254. (Fig. 13).

At the other end of thisconverging conveyer, the pulleys 210 (Fig. 7)act merely as sheaves and are mounted on vertical shafts, each of whichis carried in a bracket 259 bolted to a cross-bar 260 of the supportingframe 221, and having a slot 261 at its clamping bolt to permitadjustment inward or outward to vary the distance between the twoconveyer belts at the narrow end of the conveyer. Cross-bar 260 is alsoadjustable lengthwise of the machine to move pulleys 240 to tension theconveyer belts. This latter adjustment is effected by means of screws262, one on either side of the machine, and threaded through studs 263which are screwed into the top of frame 221. These screws bear againstthe edge of bar 260 and can be used to force the bar rearwardly when thebelts are to be tightened. Bolts 264 pass through slots in bar 260 andserve to anchor the bar to frame 221 after the adj ustment is complete.

Beyond the narrow end of this converging conveyer is a guidewayconsisting of two independent bent plates 265, each of which is pivotedby a bolt 266 to a bracket arm 267. This bracket arm has a slot andclamping bolt at 268 to permit swinging adjustment of plate 265 aboutbelt 266. At the other endlof the bracket arm 267 is apivot bolt 269 anda clamping bolt 270, the former passing through a longitudinal slot inarm 267, and the latter through a similar slot in that arm, and alsothrough a curved slot in cross-bar 260, so that. bracket arm 267 can beadjusted longitudinally, or can be swung about bolt 269 as a center, tobring its plate 265 into best relation to the delivery end of theconverging conveyer. Plates 265 are thus adjustable toward or from oneanother to vary the width of the guideway formed therebetween.

By the apparatus above described, the sheets of metal to be treated, asthey come from the coating rolls, aregiven an initial bend by the starwheels, and then pass along throughthe converging conveyer, and whenthey issue therefrom into the stationary guide, formed by plates 265,they are in proper condition for delivery to the furnace conveyer. Inorder that there may be no uncertainty in their delivery from theconverging conveyer to the furnace conveyer, and in order that theirdelivery may be definitely timed. there is provided a delivery mechanismor pusher, shown particularly in Figs. 1, 5, 8 and 16.

Thepusher comprises a pair of endless chains 271 passing over drivingsprockets- 272 fastened to shaft 273, which is mounted in brackets 274bolted to supports 222 and 223. This shaft carries a sprocket wheel 275driven through a chain 276 by sprocket 277 (Fig. 11) keyed to shaft 180.Pusher chains 271 also pass over smooth flanged pulleys 278, which areloosely mounted on a Shaft 279 supported by brackets 280 which arebolted at the top of frame 221 (Fig. 5). These brackets have slots 281and adjusting screws 282 to permit them to slide with respect to frame221, and so tighten or loosen the pusher chains 271.

Chains 271 are provided with three L- shaped pushing fingers 283, eachmounted on a pivot pin 284. These-pivot pins tie the chains together, asshown in Fig. 15, so that they move in unison, but the chains are spacedapart far enough to permit swinging movement therebetween of the shorterarm of each L-shaped finger 283, whereon a cam roller 285 is mounted.The cam surface on which these rollers 285 bear, comprises a top plate286 (Fig. 8) a bottom plate 287, and a stationary curved casting 288,mounted on shaft 279. This casting serves as a space block for the twochain pulleys 278 and is connected by slots and bolts to Plates 286 and287 to permit longitudinal adjustment of these plates, when desired, aswhen brackets 280 are shifted to tighten or loosen the chains 271.

Brackets 271 extend beyond shaft 273 for attaclnnent to horizontaltie-bars 289 and 290 (Figs. 8 and 14), and these serve as supports forvertical angle plates 291 and 292 (Fig. 14) from which, as shown in Fig.8, brackets 293 extend forward and upward and brackets 29% extendforward and downward for attachment to circular guard strips 295 whichcover the driving sprockets on shaft 273, and also extendbeneath plate287, but spaced therefrom to form guiding channels for the chain 271 andthe pusher fingers, as shown in Fig. 15.

Tie-bars 289 and 290 also support brackets 296 and 297 fastened by boltsandslots to permit their independent vertical adjustment, and it is tothese brackets that the forward ends of the top and bottom cam plates286 and 287 are attached, and by which their distance apart at theirforward ends can be adjusted. These plates are cut away or narrowed attheir extreme forward ends sufiiciently to clear driving sprockets 272between which they pass, as shown in Fig. 14.

When the pusher is in action, the L-shaped fingers travel with the same,or nearly the same, lineal speed as the converging belts,

and when properly timed. will be in contact,

or nearly so, with the sheets while they are being bowed into archedform by the converging conveyer. It is, however, the particular functionof these fingers to give a positive transference or delivery of thearched sheets from the discharge end of the converging conveyer and overguide plates 265 and onto the furnace conveyer by pressing orstrikingagainst the rear end of the sheet as soon as it comes to rest in thestationary guides, or even before it has come to rest, if desired'. Byhaving these fingers provided with cam rollers, as shown and described,each roller will keepits finger 1 n substantially vertical positionuntil after 1t moves out of contact with the arched sheet, for as shownin Fig. 8, the pushing finger leaves contact with the delivered sheet bya substantially vertical movement induced by the shape of the curved camcastin 288 on which its roller 285 bears. This eliminates any tendencyto lift Or kick up the rear end of the arched sheet, and leaves thesheet reliably gripped by the furnace conveyer. Because of their archedshape and therefore somewhat tensional condition, the sheets, even if ofthin metal, do not sag or collapse when subjected to the high heat ofthe furnace.

The furnace. conveyer whereby the Qieets are taken from the coatingmachine and its transfer mechanism and delivered into andthrough thefurnace (not shown), is of special construction, as shown in Figs. 20 to23 inclusive. The conveyer comprises two parallel chains each of whichconsists of parallel links 475 and 476 connected at their ends bytransverse pins 477 on each of which is a roller whereon the chain maytravel. Each alternate inner link 47 5 has a laterally projecting ear478 and to this and the corresponding ear of the opposing link issecured by bolts 479 the horizontally bent ears of a conveyer flight480. Each flight comprises a horizontal bar with upturned ends 481, theinner edges of which are knife edges. Adjacent these knife edges, theouter ends of the horizontal bar are shaped to knife edges at 482 (Fig.21).- Those flights are considerably wider than the pair of chains bywhich they are driven and are carried well above the chain rollers bythe supporting ears at which they are bolted to the chains.

By making these conveyer flights withknife edges, as shown and.described, they have but limited area of contact with the arched sheetsdelivered to the conveyer by the converging conveyer and pusher of Fig.5, and although the furnace conveyer flights engage the arched sheetsonly at their edges, they securely hold those sheets in arched formduring transportation to and throu h the furnace. There is a trackway483' (Flg. 7) leading toward the intake end of the furnace andconsisting of a pair of angle bars adjustably supported as shown, andover these bars thev endless furnace conveyer rolls. v

All of the moving elements above described are preferably driven by asingle prime mover such as a variable-speed electric motor 492. (Fig. 7This motor is provided with a pinion 493 meshing with a spur gear 494 onone end of a'transverse shaft 495, the other end of which carries apinion 496 meshing with a 'spur gear 497 on a second transverse shaft498 on Which the driving sprockets 499 for the furnace conveyer arefastened. This shaft 498 also carries a gear 500 which mesheswith a gear501 on a stub shaft 502 (Fig. 5), and it is from this stub shaft and itssprocket 503 that the. coating machine and the converging conveyer andpusher are driven through chain 178, as heretofore described.

By thus driving all of the machines and motor the time stopped while thefurnace conveyer con-' tinues to travel through the furnace, and thiscontributes to convenience of operation and flexibility of control. Allof the clutches are of the single jaw type to insure correct timingofthe several parts after each disconnection and reconnection of theclutches. The coating machine and its adjuncts above described may bevaried in many ways without departing from the spirit of my invention,as defined by the appended claims.

I claim: 1. In a coating machine, the combination of a pair of coatingrolls between which flat sheets may be passed to receive a viscouscomposition. containing material in suspension, a mixing tank for saidcomposition, an

agitator moving therein, and means for' pumping said agitated viscouscomposition from said tank and spreading it without substantial delay oneach of said rolls in a substantially uniform layer, thereby preventingharmful settling of said suspended matter substantially as described.

2. In a coating machine, the combination of a pair of coating rollsbetween which flat sheets maybe passed to receive a viscous compositioncontaining material in suspension. a mixing tank for said composition,an agitator moving therein, means for pumping said agitated viscouscomposition and spreading it without substantial delay 011 said rolls ina. substantially uniform layer and means for returning unused'composition to said tank for re ixing with the material therein,substantially as described. 3. In a coating machine, the combination ofa pair of coating rolls between which flat sheets may be passed toreceive a viscous composition, a mixing tank for said composition, anagitator moving therein, means for pumping said agitated viscouscomposition from said tank and spreading it on said rolls in asubstantially uniform layer, and a by-pass for returning pumpedcomposition to said tank and agitator, when desired, without itsdelivery to the coating rolls substantially as described.

4. In a coating machine, the combination of a pair of coating rollsbetween which flat sheets may be passed to receive a viscouscomposition, a distributing roll for each coating roll delivering saidcomposition thereto, means for pumping the composition directly to eachof said distributing rolls and means for spreading it thereonsubstantially as described.

5. In a coating machine, the combination oa pair of coating rollsbetween which flat sheets maybe passed to receive a viscous composition,a distributing roll for each coating roll delivering said compositionthereto, a perforate pipe above. each distributing roll and arrangedlongitudinally thereof and means for pumping the composition throughsaid pipe to its distributing roll in a substantially continuous sheet.

6. In a coating machine, the combination of a pair of coating rollsbetween which flat sheets may be passed to receive a viscouscomposition, a distributing roll for each coating roll, an equalizingroll for each distributing roll and a delivery pipe for eachdistributing roll for supplying the viscous composition thereto.

7. In a coating machine, the combination of a pair of coating rollsbetween which flat sheets may be passed to receive a viscouscomposition, a distributing roll for each coating roll, an equalizingroll for each distributing roll, a delivery pipe for each distributingroll for supplying the viscous composition thereto and a scraper at theend of each distributing roll. V

8. In a coating machine, the combination of'a pair of coating rollsbetween which fiat sheets may be passed to receive a viscouscomposition, a distributing roll for each coating roll to deliver saidcomposition thereto, end bearings for each distributing roll, and meansfor simultaneously adjust-.

ing both end bearings of each distributing roll toward or from itscoating roll, said means comprising a transverse shaft with wormsthereon, stop bars for said bearings, nuts threaded to said stop bars,springs holding the bearings against the stop bars and.

worm gears connected with said nuts and engaging the worms on saidtransverse shaft.

9. In a coatin machine, the combination of a pair of coating rollsbetween which fiat sheets may be passed to receive a viscouscomposition, a distributing roll for one, at least, of said coatingrolls to deliver said composition thereto, and means for simultaneousland for-independently adjusting both en s of said distributing rolltoward or from its coating roll, said means comprising a transverseshaft with hand wheel and worms, stop bars for the end bearings of saiddistributing roll, nuts threaded to said stop bars, springs holding saidbearings against the stop bars and worm gears adjustably connected withsaid nuts and engaging the worms on said transverse shaft.

10. In a coating machine, the combination of a pair of coating rollsbetween which flat sheets may be passed to receive a viscouscomposition, a geared connection between said rolls, a distributingrollfor each coating roll to deliver composition thereto, means forspreading said composition on the upper side of each distributing roll,and

a geared connection between each distributing roll and its connectingroll adapted to drive the distributing roll.

11. In a coating machine, the combination of a pair of coating rollsbetween which flat sheets may be passed to receive a viscouscomposition, a geared connection between said rolls, a distributing rollfor each coating roll to deliver composition thereto, means forspreading said composition on the upper side of each distributing roll,a geared connection between each distributing roll and its coating rolladapted to drive the distributing roll, and an equalizing roll for eachdistributing roll and geared thereto to have substantially the sameperipheral speed as its distributing roll.

12. In a coating machine, the combination of a pair of coating rollsbetween which flat sheets of metal may be passed to receive a viscouscovering at both faces, a distributing roll adjacent to each coatingroll and supplying the same with viscous coating material, an equalizingroll adjacent to each distributing roll and acting to equalize the layerof viscous coating material thereon, all of said rolls being gearedtogether and driven from a common source of power, and each beingadjustable toward or from its adjoining roll and means for pumping theviscous coating material and delivering it directly in a substantiallycontinuous sheet to said distributing rolls for-distribution on saidcoating rolls substantially as described.

13. Ina coating machine, the combination of a pair of rolls betweenwhich flat sheets may be passed to receive a viscous coating, and meansfor simultaneously or independently adjustin the bearings of one of therolls to contro the effective gap between the rolls, said meanscomprising a transverse shaft with hand wheel andworms, stopbars forsaid bearings, nuts threaded to said stop bars, springs-holding thebearings against the stop bars and Worm gears adjustably connected withsaid nuts and engaging the worms on said transverse shaft.

14. In a coating machine, the combination of a pair of'rolls betweenwhich fiat sheets of metal may be passed to receive a viscous coating,means for continuously supplying the viscous coating material to saidrolls, a gear connection between said rolls, springs normally urgingsaid rOllS apart, and means for simultaneously or independentlyadjusting the bearings of the u per roll to control the magnitude anddistribution of pressure on the flat sheet being coated, said meanscomprising stops for said bearings, nuts threaded to saidstops, gearsfor said stops, one, at least of which, is adjustably connected to itsadjacent nut, and means forsimultaneously driving said gears.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

-' WILLIAM E. WATKINS.

